VERMONT 34rd Annual SPRING RING and DIRECTORS’ WORKSHOP 2015
“GatherRing at the River…..Again!
”
Directors Workshop:
Spring Ring:
Westminster, VT 05158
First Congregational Church , 3470 US Rte 5
Friday, April 24, 2015
6:00 PM-9 PM
Bellows Falls Union High School,
406 High School Rd , Westminster, VT 05158
Saturday, April 25,2015
8:45 AM-5PM
Beth Judd, Clinician
Massed Choirs Repertoire
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Sondra K. Tucker
Beckenhorst
MBEHB418
3-6 octaves, +3-5 oct. chimes Massed F/C Level 3Be sure to order the arrangement for Beckenhorst! There is another by the same composer with the same title
I Want Jesus to walk with Me Tammy Waldrop
Agape
2635 / MHP2635
3-6 octave+2 oct. chimes Level 2+
My Lord, What a Morning
Sandra Eithun
AGEHR AG35285 /MAG35285
3-5 octaves
Level 2+
Alleluia
Brian Tervo
AGEHR
3-5 octaves
AG35318 /MAG35318
Level 3
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Biographical Notes – Beth Judd
Beth Judd has retired from full-time Music and Arts
Ministry after 40+ years of conducting children, youth and
adult singing and ringing choirs, supporting and overseeing
Liturgical Dance and Art Gallery ministries, and
developing significant concerts series. She has served as
President of the American Guild of English Handbell
Ringers, as Secretary/Treasurer of Area IX, and as Music
Chairman for AGEHR, Inc. She is active as a conductor
and clinician for seminars, festivals, workshops, and
denominational worship and music conferences. She was
also one of the conductors representing the United States at
the International Handbell Symposium in Toronto, Canada,
in the summer of 2004. Beth is a published handbell
composer and author for AGEHR Publishing. She was a
charter member and the assistant conductor of the Dallas
Handbell Ensemble and was the original conductor of the
Concert Bells of Fort Worth. Beth also served as President
of the Greater Dallas Handbell Association. She has been
attending AGEHR activities since 1965 and has been
conducting handbell choirs since 1968. She is a member of
the HMA Legacy Society.
Beth holds degrees in Voice Performance and Music
Education from the Manhattan School of Music in New
York City and the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK.
She was an Instructor at Queens College, Charlotte, NC,
and was the handbell instructor at Southwestern
Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. Beth has served
churches in New York City, Norman, OK, Charlotte, NC,
and Dallas, Arlington, and most recently, Austin, TX.
Friday, April 24, 2015 Directors’ Workshop
The Workshop will be held at the First Congregational Church,
3470 Us Route 5, Westminster,VT 05158
(802) 722-4148
Directions and other information will be included in the confirmation letter which you will get
when we receive your registration and check. The time is 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM.
The registration fee remains at $10/director - which is collected at the door. Directors must preregister to ensure that enough meals, bells and photocopied materials can be prepared
Directors Workshop Topic:
Conducting -Beth Judd
We'll start with some basic facts about how we become even better
conductors. We will then move into a format where everyone in attendance
will be conducting (in a group, or alone, if you wish) some of the repertoire
from Spring Ring. Coaching will be provided. Novices and trained
conductors are all welcome! (Then on Saturday, you will have the
opportunity to observe if I "practice what I preach!") Please bring your
Spring Ring music and a baton, if you use one.
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Overnight home-stays will be arranged for directors attending the Directors'
Workshop upon request
Lunch Options for Spring Ring:
A bag lunch, priced at -- $7.00 is available by pre-registration only.
The lunch includes your choice of sandwich wrap or sub as well as chips and fruit ;
please specify: roast beef, turkey, ham or vegetarian (wrap or sub)
Or you may bring your own lunch and enjoy a sunny spot on the grounds.
Please keep a record of each person’s lunch choice:
roast beef turkey ham vegetarian
sub
wrap
VERMONT SPRING RING 2015 Class choices
Saturday, April 25,2015 classes
Morning classes
Beginning Conducting
- "Help! What do I do now?"
- John Riddle
Your bell choir director came down with a stomach bug on Saturday night, or fell and broke his/her leg and will be
laid up for six weeks. Could you step in and conduct in his/her absence? This session will equip you with the tools
necessary to achieve an effective performance (getting bells into ringing position, basic conducting patterns, cutoffs,
and the like)
Change Ringing
- Jerilyn Bergdahl
"Change Ringing is . . . A team sport, A musical performance, An antique art & An interesting pattern-based
exercise. . . All at once!" proclaims the 500 members of the North American Guild of Change Ringers. Join me as
we explore this art and ring a "method" or two. Due to the nature of this class, there will be a limit of 12
participants.
RETURN YOUR FORM EARLY TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A SPOT RESERVED
Handbell Artistry
- Kim Strepka
Although our instrument is often thought of as limited in flexibility, the vocabulary of Movement Theorist, Rudolf
Laban, provides us with the tools for enhanced sonic and visual expressivity. Participants will learn the basics of
Movement Theory, discover their own personal movement profiles (their ringing assets and liabilities), expanding the
sonic and visual possibilities through intentional ringing, two-dimensional vs. three-dimensional ringing,
troubleshooting stopped techniques, and exploring some of the visual elements that affect stage presence."
Ringers at any level will benefit from this information. In fact, it's great to develop this awareness before ringers have
had a chance to develop any habits.
Processionals
– Karen James
Do you always need to be standing behind the tables? Short patterns that repeat and join other layers of patterns
develop into beautiful harmonic levels of sound that can be played anywhere. Experience the freedom of ringing in an
open space! In this class we will explore various ways to get ringers to the table, including how to create a “surround
sound.”
Solo Ringing—Working towards mastery
– Sue Chamberlin
So you’ve tried some solo ringing and want some help to make the music better. Come to class with a solo that you
are working on. It does not need to be performance ready. It is more important that you know where the problems
are. Please bring 4 copies of your music so the class can see what you are working on. (We will destroy the copies
at the end of the class.)
Theory 101 for Handbells
-Phil Brown
We’ll start at the very beginning with the “Bells Used” chart and work our way through the first measure of a piece
examining the symbols we use in handbell music, discussing how they developed and why they are used and
discovering what they tell us about the music we are about to ring. Topics to be covered include bells used charts,
octave indicators, metronome/tempo indications, grand staff, key signatures and time signatures. Bring your massed
ringing music. This class is for everyone, not just directors.
Afternoon classes
Advanced Conducting
- "You mean I'm It?"
– John Riddle
Your church, for whatever reason, finds itself without a handbell director. More advanced techniques for the longerterm commitment, including some hints on score analysis and preparation.
– Jerilyn Bergdahl
Basics and Beyond
Calling All Handbell Artists! As handbell artists, and as artists in any discipline or field, we work to improve our basic
skills. This class will teach basic skills and beyond with an emphasis on "the artistry of handbells". There's always
more to be learned about our instrument. This class is appropriate for all levels of experience.
Schulmerich Maintenance -
-- Sue Chamberlin
We can’t “tune” the bells, but you can learn how to take care of your handbells and adjust them for optimal control
and a uniform sound. If you have any “sick” bells that just don’t ring the way you want them to, bring them to class.
Score Study- Not just for directors anymore!
– Beth Judd
Directors and ringers alike will have the opportunity to analyze the music from Spring Ring in a methodical way that
will hopefully allow both to read and discover more on the page than they are currently seeing. Ringers - we tend to
read just our 2 notes and very little else. Directors - we are focused on teaching the notes and rhythms (frequently
with serious time constraints) and finding subs at the last minute! The goal is to glean more from the music even at
the sight reading stage and thus create a more musical performance. Please bring your Spring Ring music.
– Mary Jane Wirsing
Stopped Techniques
So now that you’ve gotten the hang of how to ring and damp your bell, what do some of the other black blobs in your
music mean? -- the little dots, crosses, triangles and arrows? This class will explain and practice the most effective,
efficient and safest ways to execute plucks, thumb-damps, martellatos and malleted notes, and practice
incorporating the techniques into exercises and music. Please bring: your gloves, your Spring Ring music, and at
least two different pairs of mallets from your table.
Weaving and Bell Handling
- Phil Brown
The time is coming when you as a handbell ringer will be faced with an accidental, a key change, a chime part or
even a need to share a bell with your neighbor. Like most challenges in life, handbell challenges don't have to be
scary – if you have a plan! This class will help you develop plans and techniques for mastering most of the common
bell handling challenges that we face as ringers. This will be a "hands on" class, bring your gloves and, if possible,
four chromatic bells C4 or above.
Please keep a record of who will attend each class:
Morning Classes
Beginning Conducting
Change Ringing
(limit 12}
Handbell Artistry
Processionals
Solo Ringing : working toward Mastery
Theory 101 for Handbells
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Afternoon Classes
Advanced Conducting
Basics and Beyond
Schulmerich Maintenance
Score Study for Directors and Ringers
Stopped Techniques
Weaving and Bell handling
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Vermont Spring Ring, Bellows Falls Union High School April 25, 2015
REGISTRATION FORM (p1)
Please return both pages of this completed form by March 1, 2015 to:
Dolf Wirsing, 44 Whipple Road South Hero, Vermont 05486
(802)372-5415
[email protected]
Please send only one check, payable to: “The Vermont Handbell Association “
due to the necessities of planning and budgeting for this event there can be no cash refunds after April 1st.
Church/Organization: ___________________________________No. of Octaves: ______Bells / _______Chimes
Ensemble Name: ______________________________________ Ensemble Town: __________________________
Director’s Name: _________________________________________________ is this your 1st Spring Ring? _____
Director’s Address ______________________________________________________________________________________
Director’s Phone: __________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________
Are you a member of Handbell Musicians of America? Yes ______ No ____ HMA Number________
REGISTRATION FEES
There will be an additional charge of $25 for late registrations sent after March 1st
Administrative Fee per Group:
$ 15.00
Late Registration (add $25)
$_________
No. Participants
@ $15.00 each:
___________
$_________
No. Table Rentals (8’) @ $12.00 each
__________
$__________
No. Lunches
@ $7.00 each
__________
$__________
( ____roast beef sub
/ ____Ham sub
/ ______turkey sub
/ ________vegetarian sub)
( ____roast beef wrap/ _____Ham wrap / ______turkey wrap/ _________vegetarian wrap)
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE:
$__________
TABLE INFORMATION:
We need floor space for : 2 octaves/16ft ______; 3 octaves/24ft_______; 4- 5 octaves /32 f t_______
We will bring our own tables: Yes _______ No _________
We will need to rent tables:
Yes _______ Number of 8’ Tables Needed ______________
DIRECTOR’S WORKSHOP – will be held on Friday, April 24 , 2015 from 6-9pm ($10.00 at door)
The Workshop will be held at the First Congregational Church , Westminster VT.
I plan to attend: Yes ______
No _______ I will need housing for Friday: Yes _________ No________
Vermont Spring Ring April 2015---- REGISTRATION FORM (p2)
SATURDAY CLASSES:
How many from your group plan to attend the following classes?
A person should sign up for only one class per session.
Directors should keep a record of their ringer’s class choices, as they often forget this at Spring Ring.
Morning Classes
Beginning Conducting
Change Ringing (limit 12)
Handbell Artistry
Processionals
Solo Ringing Towards Mastery
Theory for Handbells
Afternoon Classes
_________
______
_________
______
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
________
_________
Advanced Conducting
Basics and Beyond
Schulmerich Maintenance
Score Study
Stopped Techniques
Weaving and Bell Handling
SOLO PRESENTATION REGISTRATION
You must complete and return this form no later than March 1, 2015 if you wish to present a
special selection in the final concert. NOTE: The first 12 registrants will be scheduled for the
concert. RETURN YOUR FORM EARLY TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A SPOT RESERVED!
Please Place Check Mark by One Item:
Solo by:
____ Small Ensemble
____ Choir
____ Not This Year
Name of Church/ Organization :
Ensemble Name:
Director:
Title:
Composer:
Arranger:
Publisher / Publisher No.:
Name(s) of Soloist/Ensemble Ringers:
Describe any special needs for solo (table space etc): __________________________________________
Please submit one check payable to “The Vermont Handbell Association”
and mail with completed form by March 1, 2015 to:
Dolf Wirsing, 44 Whipple Road, South Hero, Vermont 05486
(802)372-5415 [email protected]